


Norway. A Summer's Tale

by wyoheartsmusic



Series: SKAM Fic Week 2018 [7]
Category: SKAM (Norway)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Sports, Coming Out, Established Relationship, FIFA World Cup 2018, Fluff, Football | Soccer, Homophobia, M/M, SKAM Fic Week, i read up on some football stuff but i'm by no means an expert, joneva and vildus are side pairings, this got a little heavy at some points because of the situation in russia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-13
Updated: 2018-06-13
Packaged: 2019-05-21 22:47:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14924309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wyoheartsmusic/pseuds/wyoheartsmusic
Summary: Isak, as the first openly gay footballer and newly recruited teammate on Norway's National Squad, travels to Russia for the FIFA World Cup 2018





	Norway. A Summer's Tale

**Author's Note:**

> I made it!!! Only three days late and I made it through fic week! This was such a blast!
> 
> Okay, so this fic I started for Celebrities day but then I realised after 1k or something that there was an actual Sports day so I pushed this back. I think this one was the one I was most excited for, the idea for it, I had definitely the longest out of all seven fics. I know very little about football so I kept this pretty vague - and when I didn't, I hope the die-hard football fans reading this won't be cringing too much. (Also, I'm aware Norway didn't actually qualify but shhhh we're in a different universe here obviously)
> 
> I'm one of those people who gets excited about football every two years and there were so many football fics in the fandom I was in before so it was time we had some more in this one as well :D 
> 
> (On a side note, apparently ao3 doesn't know the football emoji which is absolutely cute so I inserted it as a pic because A SQUARE IS SO RUDE LOOK HOW CUTE IT ISSSS)
> 
> Sorry for any inaccuracies, I hope you enjoy anyway <3

**Brann’s Centre Forward: First Openly Gay Footballer**

**Isak Valtersen, SK Brann: Football Player Extraordinaire  
** _Everything you need to know about the centre forward from his childhood in Oslo to his coming out_

**Did Valtersen Risk His Future at Brann with His Coming Out?**

**“This Is About What I’m Doing On the Field, Not Who I’m Doing in the Bedroom”  
** _Valtersen talks about his coming out and the rumours surrounding it for the first time exclusively with EMMA Mag_

**Norway’s Hope: New, Improved, Dynamic, Young  
** _Norway’s new coach Tryggvason pins his hopes on a brand new squad_

**Official: Valtersen Claims Spot in the National Squad**

**Norway’s National Squad Qualifies for World Cup!  
** _The country rejoices as it’s part of the World Cup for the first time since ‘98_

**Everything Over!  
** _An insider reveals that it’s possible Valtersen will not be allowed to enter Russia due to his recent coming out_

**Norway’s National Team: “With Valtersen, We Will Win the World Cup”**

**Try-Outs: Valtersen Scores Goal After Goal**

Isak closed the door behind himself and closed his eyes, just breathing for a second. The past few months had been an absolute whirlwind and he was absolutely thankful for every single second but he was home now.

The familiar smell around him, the sounds familiar too even though it was mostly quiet. But there was the buzzing of the fridge that he could make out and maybe it was wishful thinking but even the rustling of the sheets in the bedroom was audible.

Isak tiptoed into the bedroom, dumping his backpack — he had been travelling light since he had spent every day in his football jersey and shorts anyway — by the door as soon as he spotted the messy dark blonde hair peeking out from under the duvet.

Pulling his hoodie over his head on the way, Isak crawled into bed with the other person, a sleepy groan leaving his lips when Isak spooned him. It was way too early, six in the morning to be more specific, and Isak had sacrificed a proper night’s sleep for getting an early flight from Kristiansand back to Bergen to surprise his boyfriend.

“Why?” Even mumbled, “I was supposed to pick you up from the airport…” His words were slurred and yet it was the best thing Isak had heard in a while.

He pressed a smiling kiss against Even’s shoulder blade. “Surprise,” He whispered, “Now sleep some more, we can talk later.”

And sleep they did. Isak better than he had in the past two weeks when his hotel bed had just felt empty and he could only force himself to a couple hours of sleep every night because he knew he had to be in top form on the field.

The best thing about sleeping in one bed with Even again, though? Definitely waking up. Because waking up meant Even drawing patterns against his arms, his fingers trailing up to his face to trace the contours of his eyebrows, his nose, his lips with a feathery touch. It meant Isak’s eyelids fluttering but keeping his eyes closed anyway and finally, Even’s lips against his forehead, his cheeks and finally his lips and Isak responded eagerly to it, bursting with happiness to have Even’s plush lips against his again. 

He tangled his fingers in Even’s hair, humming into the kiss, a smile threatening to spread across his lips.

When he did end up smiling, Even did too, pulling away slightly to whisper, “I missed you.”

“I love you,” Isak shot back, his eyes finally opening to watch the beautiful blush appearing on Even’s cheeks. They had said those words a million times by now and yet, it always seemed to catch Even off guard over and over again. “And I missed you,” Isak added a moment later, nuzzling his nose against Even’s.

“Isn’t your plane supposed to land in…” Even trailed off trying to figure out what time it was without actually looking away from Isak.

Isak smiled, pecking Even’s lips because he had to make up for the times he hadn’t kissed Even while he was in the training camp. “At three this afternoon. But I got an earlier flight because I wanted to be with you as soon as possible and I really just wanted to sleep with you.”

Even smirked, raising his eyebrows, “Sleep with me, huh? We can work on that…”

Isak giggled but let Even kiss down his jaw and to his neck. “I mean, I’d like that but no, I meant like, just sleep next to you. I _really_ missed you, babe.”

And Isak quickly realised that yes, this was another thing he had missed. Slow and intense morning sex with the man he loved.

They stood in the shower, the warm stream a delight for Isak’s sore muscles when he brought up what they still hadn’t figured out, even so close to travelling to Russia. “Are you coming with me?” The pleading in his voice was unmistakable.

“Isak,” Even sighed. Isak knew Even’s point of view; he was scared about what it meant that Isak, openly gay, was going to be in a country that had such a violent history with members of the LGBT+ community. Alone the fact that there had been some problems with Isak even being allowed to enter Russia had proven to Even, how bad the situation still was.

And yet, here they were.

Isak wanted them to go public when the stakes were so high against them. But what he hadn’t told Even was that Isak was scared shitless. Even had been there for him during his coming out, holding Isak’s hand when he hadn’t thought he could actually pull this off. The world’s first gay football player — back then he had only been a relatively small player, basically unknown outside of Norway but his coming out had been sure to make massive waves. Isak, more often than not, had thought the waves were going to pull him under with them. And it had been as crazy as everyone involved had thought it would be. But Even had been a steady reassurance.

So while he knew how horribly selfish he was, Isak knew that the only way to feel safe in a place where he was utterly unsafe was to have Even by his side.

Even pulled Isak into his arms and for a while, they just stood under the shower spray, hearts beating as one.

“You need me there,” It was a statement, not a question so Isak didn’t bother replying anything. He just looked up at Even, blinking away the water drops from his lashes. “For the record, I still don’t think it’s a good idea. But I want to be with you. This is the World Championship, for fuck’s sake, I gotta support my boyfriend, right?”

Isak felt relief flooding him. “Really?” He beamed at Even, wrapping his arms around his neck and kissing him roughly.

“Really,” Even smiled and kissed Isak back just as enthusiastically.

**Last Try-Outs Before Russia: Norway Slays!**

**WAGs And… Boyfriends?**

**Valtersen Brings Boyfriend to Russia**  
_Spotted: a tall and handsome young man among Norway’s WAGs_

**Rumours Are Bubbling Up: Is the Mysterious Hunk Valtersen’s Boyfriend?**

It had all been settled within two days. Each of them would get a security detail to ensure their safety in case of homophobic attacks on them. There would be a press conference before the opening match, in which Isak would make his relationship with Even official — the one and only time he would speak about his personal life.

Isak was nervous for a lot of reasons but it was the good kind of nervous and it didn’t make him sick to the stomach.

All of it was forgotten anyway when they entered their hotel room in Moscow. “Holy shit, this room is huge!” Even exclaimed.

Isak laughed, pulling the string of Even’s backpack off his shoulders who could only stare completely awestruck. He carried their bags to the bedroom, smirking when he spotted the kingsize bed. “And this bed!” He called over his shoulder.

A moment later, Even was in the room with him, gasping. He went right past Isak to fall down on it, humming contentedly. “We need to get one of these in our flat!” He sighed.

“ _Our_ flat?” Isak raised his eyebrows, walking toward the bed and straddling his boyfriend. “You refuse to move in with me,” He pointed out but he was smiling, no accusation in his voice. He knew and understood why Even didn’t want to move in with him. After Isak’s coming out, it had been decidedly harder to keep their relationship under the radar with everyone wanting to get all the details of Isak’s suddenly so interesting love life. There had been paparazzi and reporters camping outside his flat and it would have been impossible for Even to live there without being noticed — it had already been hard whenever Even had stayed over.

Even looked sheepish. “Well, I thought… after this, when we get back home… we could discuss our options again?” He suggested.

Isak’s smile widened and he leaned down to kiss Even. “You want to move in with me?” He whispered against his lips.

Even nodded before deepening the kiss.

Isak enjoyed this for a moment before he pulled away, smirking when he said, “Aren’t we lucky that Norway’s national team doesn’t have a sex ban?”

Even’s eyes widened. “That’s a thing?” He asked, “They have all _this,”_ He waved his hand around the room, “And they can’t have sex?” 

Isak nodded, laughing. “Yeah, those poor souls. But Eskild is very fond of sex and its relaxing qualities so I can fully enjoy the time with my gorgeous boyfriend in a hotel room I basically get paid for to stay in. Isn’t life awesome?” Isak kissed along Even’s neck, nipping on the skin a little but he pulled away before Even could get into it. “Except for right now and nights before a game. Ugh, Eskild gave us an hour to freshen up before the team meeting. I gotta take a shower.”

“I could join you?” Even offered sweetly.

Isak pecked his lips again. “I’d love that but I’ll be late if you do. Order room service so I can have a quick bite before I leave?” 

“Bite me,” Even smirked.

Isak groaned. “Don’t tempt me. I don’t wanna be benched for tardiness before the whole fun even began!”

“Fine!” Even raised his hands in surrender and let Isak leave for the bathroom.

Isak made quick work in the shower, washing all the grime from travelling off and then quickly returning to Even who sat at the table in the main room, a bunch of sandwiches waiting for them.

“They have so much good stuff on the menu! But I thought something quick would be best for now,” Even said.

Isak smiled, kissing his temple before he sat down and pulled a sandwich toward himself. “Most of those items on the menu will probably be against my dietary restrictions,” Isak mused, taking a bite.

Even grinned. “Yeah, but not mine,” He teased.

“Fuck off,” Isak rolled his eyes. He cleared his throat and said apologetically, “I, uh, hope this trip won’t be boring for you or anything… with me being gone most of the time.”

Even immediately shook his head. “Are you kidding me? I basically get a luxury vacation for free. They have a spa here! I might not miss you at all!”

Isak kicked him in the shin, muttering, “Asshole.”

Walking into the conference room, Isak immediately spotted Jonas, their team’s goalie. He walked past William — a midfielder who was really into playing offensive on and off the pitch — who sneered at him and Isak resisted the urge to flip him off.

“Eva said she won’t miss me at all,” Jonas sighed dramatically as Isak slumped down in the seat next to him.

Isak chuckled, “Even too. We should get them together so they can hang out and _not_ miss us together.”

“Definitely!” Jonas agreed, bumping fists with Isak. He looked around the room and when he turned back to Isak, his brow was furrowed. “Where is Magnus? Coach won’t like it if he’s late…” 

Just as he finished his sentence, the blonde winger, burst into the room and Eskild shot him a disproving look but didn’t say anything. “Now that we’re all here, before we get to the schedule for the next couple weeks, we have a little surprise for you!” Their coach turned to face Mahdi, their second coach, with a grand gesture. “Improved jerseys!” Eskild, who always had a flair for the dramatic, exclaimed just as Mahdi pulled one of those jerseys out of a box, holding it up.

The stripe on the red jersey that usually was white and blue like the cross on their flag had been replaced with a rainbow stripe.

“We thought it was important as a team to show our support for one of our players, Isak, especially in a country where LGBT+ rights are basically non-existent. We’re one team, one _family,_ and the world ought to see that!” Eskild said passionately.

Isak felt a lump in his throat, his cheeks heating up. Jonas nudged him with his elbow comradely and his other teammates looked at him with smiles as well.

Of course, that was when William had to speak up, “What if I don’t want to wear that? I already have to accept him showering with us.”

“Don’t be a fucking child, Magnusson,” Jonas growled.

“ _Once again,”_ Isak bit out, “I couldn’t care less about your ugly ass during showers. You might remember that I have a fucking gorgeous boyfriend who I love very much.”

Eskild cleared his throat, glowering at William. “Of course, if you’d rather be benched, we can arrange that.” His voice was calm but the threat was clear.

“You can’t do that!” William screeched, “You _need_ me!”

Mahdi stepped forward. “We don’t, in fact, need you. We have Valtersen.”

Magnus guffawed in surprise and others in the room chuckled along while William spluttered but didn’t say more.

Then Mahdi handed out the jerseys and everyone had a moment to admire them — Isak’s fingers trailed against the rainbow, absolutely in awe that this was happening; not only had he come out and it had gone relatively well, he had also received a spot in the national squad who had welcomed him with open arms.

“Tomorrow at nine, we have a public training session and in the afternoon, the press conference,” Eskild told them, “I will be attending that one with Valtersen, Vasquez and Fossbakken. The day after, there’s the opening game and then we’re gonna rock this baby!”

Everyone cheered and then dispersed while Isak stayed back. “Hey coach,” He approached Eskild, wringing his brand new jersey in his hands, “Thank you. For everything.”

Eskild smiled warmly at him. “My pleasure, Isak. You can thank me by winning that cup,” He winked.

“I plan to,” Isak promised.

For dinner, Isak and Even shared a table with Jonas and his wife, Eva, and Magnus and his girlfriend, Vilde. They were discussing the recent headlines of Even being spotted at the airport with the team.

“You know,” Magnus said, waving his fork around and spewing some food around, “There’s an easy solution to the term WAGs, now that it’s wives, girlfriends and boyfriends!” He paused, looking at everyone expectantly.

Isak rolled his eyes and shovelled more food into his mouth but Even humoured Magnus and asked, “And what’s that?” The worst part was, he actually sounded interested.

Isak refrained from groaning. If there had been a way to come out without all the attention every little step of his suddenly got, he would have gladly done it.

“Just call it EWAGs!” Magnus exclaimed, laughing too loudly for a restaurant, “Get it? Because you’re Evak! Even and Isak.”

This time, Isak couldn’t hold in the groan and he hid his face against Even’s shoulder who was trembling with silent laughter. “That’s not bad, Mags, not at all,” Even said and Isak mumbled against the fabric of his shirt, “Don’t encourage him, oh my god!”

“So… Evens, wives and girlfriends?” Jonas piped up and when Isak looked up to glare at him too, there was amusement shining in his eyes. They were all having too much fun with this.

“There’s only one Even,” Isak pouted, linking his fingers with Even’s under the table.

“Aww!” Everyone around the table started cooing and Isak absolutely hated all of them. Well, he hated Even a little less than the rest when he pressed a kiss to his cheek.

When they had all settled down again, Eva asked, “Aren’t you nervous about the press conference? You’ll make it official, right? I can imagine there’s a difference between just coming out and introducing a boyfriend?”

Isak chuckled, squeezing Even’s hand in his. Jonas scolded his wife gently, “You’re not interviewing him for your magazine, be a little more chill.” 

“No, it’s fine,” Isak assured, “I mean, of course I’m nervous but… Even has made so many things so much easier for me so I’m actually happy to be able to tell the world about him so that he doesn’t have to stay in the shadows anymore to support me.”

So far, Isak’s day was going pretty well. The training in the morning had been a success and had taken the edge off of Isak for the upcoming press conference and after those three hours on the pitch, he had come back to the hotel room where Even had filled the bathtub for him and he had enjoyed a relaxing bath followed by Even giving him a massage.

By the time he had taken another shower, Isak had been completely relaxed and the hour he had had before having to head to the conference had been spent cuddling into Even.

It was a harsh contrast when he got to the place for the press conference where everyone was buzzing already, loud chatter everywhere. Even was by his side but they weren’t holding hands and Isak couldn’t burrow into him. Not yet.

The conference started and Isak was in a bit of a daze while Eskild talked about their excitement to be in the cup again for the first time in twenty years and how he planned to get them as far as possible, hopefully winning the championship. 

Naturally, the first player the reporters had a question for was Isak — like they had expected — and he snapped back into it when the guy asked, “What’s it like for you to have your personal life more in focus than your game play?”

Isak took a moment to think about that, he had been briefed for this situation but he wanted to have the perfect answer. “Well, you could have asked me how I plan to score as many goals as possible but you didn’t,” He teased but winked at the reporter to show he wasn’t upset, “But seriously, I’m a very private person so this is very hard for me. Of course, there is no denying that because of my coming out at Brann, I am sitting here right now. So I should be grateful for that.” He took a deep breath and shot a glance to the side but he didn’t spot Even. It had to be enough that he knew he was there today. “And I’m just going to say this now to hopefully get you all off my back. I couldn’t have done any of this without my boyfriend Even Bech Næsheim, who I’m lucky enough to have been dating for the past three and a half years. He’s always been a constant in my life, especially in the past few months.” Isak gave himself a second to smile broadly, proud of himself. He had done this. “Now that you’ve all got your answer about the mysterious man travelling with the WAGs, I’d appreciate if I got some questions about my gameplay since I believe I am quite the talented player and this is what this is actually about, right?”

After that, no one dared to ask him personal questions anymore and it was a relief to finally have come clean and be able to just talk about the game he loved.

Once the press conference was over, Isak went to look for Even. His boyfriend found him faster and with a smile, held his arms open for Isak to fall into. “I am so proud of you, babe,” He whispered into his hair.

**Team Norway Press Conference: About Gameplay and Love**

**Mystery Solved! Valtersen’s Secret Boyfriend  
** _Valtersen announces relationship with son of his coach at Brann_

**Norway’s Confidence In Their Team Doesn’t Waver  
** _Fossbakken: “We’re the first squad to qualify for the Cup since 1998, that has to count for something!”_

**Spectacular First Group Match for Norway: A Secret Favourite?**

**The Surprise Team: Norway  
** _The inside scoop on this underdog_

**Homophobes Protesting at Norway’s First Match of the World Championship**

**Norway Pride: Team Shows Alliance to Gay Teammate Valtersen**  
_National squad showcases new jerseys with the gay pride flag at first match of the cup — and win 2:1_

**“Fellow LGBT+ members, please stay safe here at the World Cup!”  
** _Valtersen addresses his LGBT+ fans on Twitter, reminding them he has 24/7 security to protect him and his boyfriend from possible hate crimes_

“I feel helpless,” Isak admitted in the dark of their room. He had expected the protests and violent riots from the moment he had been offered a position in the national squad but that hadn’t prepared him for experiencing it first hand. “And I’m scared.” He hid his face against Even’s chest even though it was dark and Even couldn’t see the tears anyway.

“So do I,” Even whispered, carding his fingers through Isak’s hair comfortingly.

He didn’t say more and there really wasn’t more to say.

“It seems so useless that I came out. What does it really do for anyone? Except myself, maybe, that I can go around and hold your hand. But the reality is… I’m putting myself, I’m putting _you_ and millions of others in danger because I was selfish. There’s security outside our room right now, but others who feel inspired by my coming out, by the rainbow stripes on our jerseys… they could, they _will_ get hurt. Fuck, I did that. All of this was a huge mistake.”

“Isak, listen to me,” Even whispered, “If I know one thing, then it’s that none of this is your fault. You did an incredibly brave thing, and I am so proud of you for it. I hope that your coming out can be a first step in the right direction.You do so much, Isak. You made a whole national team wear the pride flag to show their support! You’re making history right now, and I really believe that you will change the world.”

Isak shook his head. “You’re biased.”

“So what if I am? The statistics don’t lie! After twenty years, _you_ made sure Team Norway qualified for the World Cup again! A gay football player who is scoring the majority of the goals. You’re brilliant, Isak, and the world gets to see that too now. It doesn’t matter if you’re gay or straight or bi or pan or whatever you wanna be, you can achieve all your dreams. And you make the world realise that, future World Cup winner.” Even pressed his lips to Isak’s, kissing him hard, his thumbs brushing against Isak’s wet cheeks, “You’re meant to be great, Isak.”

Even’s words ignited something in Isak. He trained harder than he ever had before and in their next match, he scored three goals for their team. Unstoppable.

He had wanted the cup before but now he _needed_ it.

“William!” He called out after the match, everyone ready to celebrate their victory a little. William kept walking after their other teammates, ignoring Isak until he added, “I think we can win the cup together.”

Isak could confidently say that he managed quite well on the field but he knew the whole team could be doing better. They had the adrenaline kicking through their veins right now but that might subside in later games. But they needed to stay strong. A plan B. “You were right when you said the team needed you,” Isak admitted, knowing it could do wonders to stroke someone’s ego like that.

“Keep talking,” William raised his eyebrows, intrigued.

Isak allowed himself a little smirk. “I think if we put aside our differences, you and me would make a great team. Imagine the 2014 World Cup, Germany against Brazil. We could be Germany if we work together. Except not only against Brazil but every. single. team,” Isak ranted passionately, feeling slightly out of breath when he finished.

A smirk crept on William’s face. “To end them all,” He mused, “And come out on top. You know, Valtersen, I didn’t think it was possible but you might have a point. I assume you have a plan?”

Isak’s heart skipped a beat. This was going exactly like he hoped it would. “I do. I was thinking one-on-one training sessions to get better acquainted with each other’s gameplay. You’re ruthless in your attacks and I have the speed to finish your passes successfully. If we’re truly attuned to each other, nothing and no one can stop us.”

“I misjudged you,” William said, a contemplative expression on his face, “I didn’t think you had the balls to be a good player. But you do, you are. I thought you were going to use the multi-media presence your coming out gave you to go forward. But you’re actually in this.”

Isak wasn’t quite sure if he should feel offended or happy about this. He chose the latter, simply for the fact that they needed to work together. “Thanks?” It still came out a bit unsure.

“This might be my last chance at winning the World Cup. I’m on board with your little plan. Let’s fuck the world up!” William said.

Isak raised his eyebrows. It was news to him that William wanted to quit football — at least that’s what Isak gathered from his words. William was still young enough to play at least one more world championship, more likely two. “Deal,” He agreed, shaking William’s hand.

Without having to ask, William answered the question Isak had, “I’ll most likely retire after this tournament. Tryggvason asked me who I think could be a good successor for my position of captain. And quite frankly, I couldn’t give him an answer so far because let’s be honest, everyone on the team is kind of mediocre. But I can see how you could be a good leader.”

Isak’s eyes widened. That was about the last thing he had expected. “What?” He gasped.

“I’ll talk to coach but if everything goes according to plan, the captain’s armband will be yours,” William concluded, “You can embellish it with rainbows and glitter or something.” Isak gritted his teeth, ready to fuck their whole deal but William quickly patted him on the back and laughed, “Relax, I was joking.”

**Change of Tactic?  
** _Norway’s midfielder and centre forward sweep through opposing teams like a tornado_

**Magnusson & Valtersen: A Dream Team**

**Whirlwind Valtersen, Fan Favourite**

**Team Captain Magnusson: “A Well-Attuned Team Can Change Everything”**

**Group Stage of World Cup: Norway Becomes Clear Favourite**

**The Cup’s Wunderkind Norway  
** _In 1998, the last time they qualified, Norway’s national squad makes it to Round of 16. Will the same fate await them this time?_

**Will Their Cockiness Be Their Demise?  
** _Tryggvason, Norway’s coach, and team captain Magnusson both say they won’t settle for anything less than the title. Experts say they might not have to_

**Achilles, World Cup Cat Oracle Predicts Norwegian Team’s Victory in Round of 16**

Isak was sweating profusely. He had run more in this single match than probably during the whole tournament. He needed this win more than the air he was breathing though.

The quarter finale was within his grasp. Half an hour left. Just one goal and they had made it. What no other Norwegian national squad had managed before them. He couldn’t lose now.

Isak could taste the victory on his tongue, he wanted to cry with how good it felt.

But Argentina was relentless.

And then he heard it, the opposing team had scored a goal.

Isak’s breathing hitched, in his head, Magnus’ words from before the game replayed, “It’s a cat! I trust him!” They had laughed in his face because they should trust in their skills and not some random cat but secretly, they had all hoped that something as ridiculous as a cat oracle was right.

Isak caught sight of his friend and teammate, in possession of the ball, di María and Lo Celso hot on his heels. He wanted to scream at Magnus to pass him the ball but they hadn’t noticed him yet, too focused on getting the ball from Magnus. _Magnus! I’m free! Pass to me!_ Isak thought, hoping for some magical telepathic connection.

There was a second where everything froze. Magnus saw Isak and he managed to get an opening, kicking the ball hard, too hard?

It flew high and Isak ran as if his life depended on it, and maybe it did.

Isak jumped and felt the ball connect with his head.

He didn’t see if it sailed into the goal or not when something else, harder than the ball, collided with his head a second later.

He knew it was over before he hit the ground.

Everything went black.

When he came to again, his first thought was, _I need to keep playing_ and maybe he said it out loud too but when he scrambled to do exactly that, something held him back. Someone.

The team doctor.

_Fuck._

“Please,” Isak gasped and then promptly threw up.

_Fuck._

That was it for him.

“That’s it for you, kid,” The doctor said, pressing Isak back on the cot.

“Did I score?” He asked weakly, dazedly.

Eskild showed up in his blurry vision, a broad grin on his face. “You did, Isak. And knocked Messi right out with you.” His expression turned more serious a moment later, “How are you feeling?”

“Chewed up and spat out,” Isak mumbled, turning his head around a little but it just made him dizzier. “Even?” He asked because he knew his boyfriend would worry.

“Someone’s getting him from the stands,” Eskild assured him, “Now relax, we need you in the quarter finale.”

The doctor checked him and concluded, “It looks like only a mild concussion luckily. But we should get you out of here to a quiet place to rest.”

“No!” Isak protested as Even rushed to his side grabbing his hand, “I need to stay here for the team!”

Even rested his forehead gently against Isak’s and whispered, “Don’t be so fucking stubborn, babe.”

“You don’t understand! Please! It’s only what, fifteen more minutes? I will rest after, I promise, but if you take me somewhere else now, I won’t be able to rest anyway!” Isak argued.

The three people surrounding him exchanged glances but eventually, Eskild sighed and the doctor said, “Fine. Strict bed rest afterwards though!”

Isak couldn’t say he saw or remembered much of the match but suddenly there was deafening noise all around him, cheers and hollers and a smile appeared on Isak’s face.

“You’re in the quarter-finals,” Even mumbled in his ear in confirmation, “Thanks to you!” 

His teammates yanked him from Even’s arms, much more careful than they usually would but they still jostled him excitedly. “Quarter-finals!” Several people yelled in his ear and then he was tumbling out on the field, celebrating with his squad.

At the edge of the field, Isak spotted someone waving a rainbow flag and he headed for it, running a little even though is brain felt like it was sloshing back and forth in his head. He jumped over the barrier and then he was hugging a complete stranger, feeling them quiver in his arms. “Thank you,” They whispered and Isak just hugged them tighter.

“I’m so proud of you,” He whispered back when they pulled apart what felt like hours later, Isak smiled at them. “Can I?” He pointed to the flag and with shaking hands, they gave it to him.

And then he took off for a sprint across the field that Eskild, the doctor and Even would all kill him for later probably — if his own head didn’t do the job just fine — but Isak _needed_ to do this. He made a pit stop at the sidelines, begging Mahdi for a pen before he went back to the fan.

“What’s your name?” He asked.

“Viktoria,” She replied, tears still shining in her eyes.

Isak started scribbling on the pride flag and when he handed it back, he wrapped it around her like a cape. “Would you like to take a picture?”

She nodded eagerly, her phone almost dropping out of her hands with how much she was shaking.

Isak took it from her and wrapped an arm around her. They were both grinning broadly when he took the picture. “Tag me on Instagram, okay?”

Once again, she nodded. “I love you, Viktoria,” He muttered, once again hugging her.

“I love you too,” She squeaked.

**Phenomenal Win in Round of 16: Fossbakken Scores Critical Goal  
** _Only mere minutes before the 90 minutes are up, Fossbakken, who lay the groundwork for Valtersen’s incredible header, scores Norway’s second goal, assuring them a spot in the quarter-finals_

**Can Valtersen Keep Playing the Tournament?  
** _A collision with Messi knocked Valtersen out; his spokesperson keeps his condition on the down-low_

**“Achilles Predicted It, So of Course It Happened,” Fossbakken Says Confidently about Their Victory**

**Heart-Wrenching Scene Post-Game: Valtersen, A Gay Icon  
** _A clearly banged-up Valtersen shares moment with LGBT+ fan after their match against Argentina; parading a gay pride flag around the stadium_

**“He gave me hope. He gave a whole community hope.” — @vicky_the_champ on Instagram** _  
Viktoria, 20, shared the selfie she snatched with Valtersen on Instagram_

“You can play the next match,” The doctor confirmed.

Even squeezed his hand and Isak rolled his eyes. Of course he would. It had been four days since his accident and he had been feeling better for two days, except for the fact that Even hadn’t let him out of his sight or out of the bed.

Nevertheless, he was extremely relieved.

“You should take it slow though,” The doctor advised, “I already talked to Eskild and suggested maybe having you play only one half-time.”

“No!” Isak exclaimed, “This is the world championship! You can’t do that!” 

“Isak…” Even tried carefully.

Isak shook his head. “No,” He repeated more quietly, “You don’t understand.”

“Okay,” Even nodded, “I’m sorry. I’m just worried about you.”

Isak kissed him on the cheek, smiling softly before he turned back to the doctor, pleading, “I have to play. _All_ of it.”

“I gave you my advice, you gotta discuss the rest with your coach.”

So that was what Isak did. As soon as the doctor had left, Isak pecked Even’s lips and went to find Eskild.

He found him lounging by the pool — unsurprisingly. “Isak! How are you feeling?”

“I’m feeling good! That’s why I’m here. I wanna play. All of the quarter-final. You said it yourself, you need me. Eskild, we’re _this_ close to winning this thing.” Isak was aware that he was begging but he _was_ desperate so he’d do anything.

Eskild nodded, lost in thought. “I planned to have you play second half-time, like a not-so-secret secret weapon,” He admitted but before Isak could complain, he continued, “But… if you’re sure you’re feeling alright, you can play from the beginning but as soon as you’re feeling only slightly dizzy, you gotta tell me!”

“Bert Trautmann broke his fucking neck and kept playing, I can play five days after a mild concussion!” Isak burst out.

Eskild chuckled, “Okay, Isak. I believe you.”

**Whirlwind Valtersen Is Back On the Field!**

**Emotional Quarter-Finals: Germany, Spain, Norway & Costa Rica Move on to Semi-Finals**

**Tryggvason Trusts His Team’s Skills  
** _“We’ll have a healthy mix of training and wellness before the semi-finals.”_

**Norway Crushes Spain in Semi-Finals  
** _Valtersen: “We fought hard and we deserved this win and every win before that!”_

**Norway Makes It to World Cup Final!**

**Fighting For the Title: Germany vs. Norway  
** _The world hold their breath in anticipation of World Cup finale_

Germany was playing for a penalty shoot-out. Neither team had scored in the first half of the game and both team’s defences were strong. Isak knew that the German team was good at penalty shots and while Isak was decent at them, many on his team weren’t. So they needed to wrap this up before.

Isak’s legs were tired and sore and he just wanted this to be over — with the cup in their pockets. He tried to make eye contact with William to communicate the next move but William was busy being his offensive self and in the next moment the referee was holding up a yellow card at William

William, of course, did not just take it quietly and Isak was close enough to hurry over and push at his chest. “Magnusson, focus!” He hissed, “We’ve got ten more minutes! Let’s fucking take this cup home!”

“Fuck,” William groaned, “Let’s take this cup home!”

They bumped fists and the game was back on. William played as aggressive as ever, not letting anyone close to the ball.

When he finally had the chance to pass to Isak, Isak held his breath praying to every god imaginable that this was going to work. Let Neuer not hold the ball for once. As soon as he had kicked the ball and everything was absolutely out of his control, Isak closed his eyes, squeezed them shut and let fate take its course.

Suddenly, he was tackled to the ground, the little bit of air that was left in his lungs knocked right out of him.

He didn’t realise what was happening until Magnus yelled in his ear, “You got us the fucking world cup!”

Isak’s ears were ringing. He had done it. Holy fucking shit, he had done it! Someone helped him off the ground but Isak was in such a daze that it was impossible to tell who.

People were hugging him and there were a lot of tears, happy smiles and then-

Even.

Isak hugged his boyfriend tightly. When they kissed, it was open-mouthed and giggly.

“You did it! Isak, you fucking did it!” Even cheered, “I am so fucking proud!”

“I love you!” Isak replied, kissing him again. When he was laughing so much that they couldn’t kiss anymore, Isak rested his forehead against Even’s and just breathed for a moment.

**NORWAY WINS WORLD CUP IN RUSSIA  
** _Valtersen scores in 88th minute with fantastic assist by Magnusson_

**The Team with the Rainbow Jerseys Wins the Title**

**Norway Gives Russia the Figurative Finger with Their Victory**

**What Has the Future in Store for Whirlwind Valtersen?  
** _“A long, hot shower and then training for the European Championship!”_

**Bitter defeat: German Team Loses Title to Norway  
** _Neuer: “Valtersen is a sneak. It’s impossible to tell where he’s gonna aim the ball. They deserve that victory!”_

The bar was buzzing with happiness, the champagne and beer flowing in masses. Somehow, Isak had ended up on the countertop, beer sloshing over his hand. “Whirlwind! Valtersen! Guys! We got the fucking cup!” He yelled excitedly.

His teammates screamed back, “Cheers to that!”

Even, like the perfect boyfriend that he was, helped Isak down from the counter, raising an amused eyebrow at him. “That’s been enough for you, huh?”

“I’m not that drunk!” Isak insisted, but his brain felt a little fuzzy. He smushed his lips against Even’s, “I’m so happy you’re here. You’re so awesome, you know that?”

Even laughed, “Yeah, definitely enough for you.”

Isak leaned up a little to whisper in his boyfriend’s ear, “Let’s get back to the hotel then and celebrate for real!”

Before Even could answer him, Jonas and Eva, beaming as much as Isak and Even did, approached them. “Wanna have a drink together?”

“Yes!” Isak cheered, burrowing into Even’s side.

They sat down in a corner that was a little quieter. Jonas brushed a hand over his face, his expression disbelieving. “We actually beat the former world champion! We did that! The first time in Norway’s history!” He breathed.

“I knew you were gonna make history,” Even said confidently, kissing the crown of Isak’s head.

“I wonder when this will start to feel real,” Isak mused.

Jonas shrugged, “Not sure it ever will. But damn, this feeling is incredible.”

They chatted for a while, many of their teammates dropping by to drink with them, celebrating all night.

Isak felt like he was flying.

“So what are your actual plans for now?” Eva asked curiously.

Isak turned to Even, grinning at him when he answered, “We’ve had a bit of a tradition for after important matches that I win for the past two years. I’ll take Even to some place anywhere in the world, staying in a fancy hotel for a week.”

“So a post-victory, celebratory sex week?” Jonas joked.

“Well…” Isak smirked. He couldn’t wait for their ritual and the couple days to wind down.

**A Whirlwind On and Off the Field  
** _After a short break after his phenomenal win at the World Cup, Valtersen powers on_

**Valtersen Establishes LGBT+ Foundation**

**William Magnusson Resigns from National Squad  
** _His teammate and World Cup hero Isak Valtersen is to take over as captain_

**“He’s a Fantastic Football Player and an Admirable Person”** _  
Both coach Tryggvason and former captain Magnusson believe Valtersen is best choice for the position of team captain_

**No Time to Rest  
** _Valtersen: “I want the European championship now.”_

**From the Underdog of the Tournament to the Winner  
** _Norway’s team sits down with us to recall their time in Russia_

**Author's Note:**

> Did I just make Norway win against my home country? Whoops, I guess I did. Lucky for Germany, there is no Whirlwind Valtersen on the Norwegian Squad and also, they didn't qualify lol
> 
> Also, can we please talk about my EWAG pun? Because I am ridiculously proud of that ahahah
> 
> I'd love some kudos and comments if you liked it <33


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